Supporting older adults who misuse alcohol.

Older adulthood is a unique time of transition often referred to as the 'golden years'. It is characterised by positive life experiences such as retirement but also by a loss of routine, identity and meaning. The literature identifies alcohol misuse as a growing issue in this population. However, the stigma, perceptions and patterns of drinking associated with alcohol misuse among older people can be a barrier to individuals seeking health advice. This article identifies that older adulthood is a period when nurses can offer health education and support using their unique relationships with patients to encourage healthy drinking behaviours.

Embedding the service user voice to co-produce UK mental health nurse education-A lived experience narrative.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Co-production aims to value service user voices and is increasingly used in healthcare. Less is known about how co-production in nursing education is experienced by service users. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper shares the experience of one service user who teaches student nurses in a UK university. For the first author, the paper highlights that co-producing nurse education has been valuable and rewarding for both a service user and students. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Co-production has the potential to benefit student nurses, including challenging their perceptions of 'difficult' patients. To achieve this, teaching sessions must be equally produced and delivered. By employing and including service users, universities have the potential to improve experiences for students and service users alike. ABSTRACT: Introduction Co-production is increasingly used in health care but there is less attention to a co-produced mental health nurse education. Aim This article sought to explore the co-production experiences of a service user who teaches mental health nurses, alongside the benefits of this to nurse education. Methods The article is a lived experience narrative co-written with a nursing lecturer. Thesis Co-produced mental health nurse education challenges students' perceptions towards self-harm and encourages empathy and understanding of service user distress. Implications for Practice Co-production has many benefits to nurse education including a positive student experience, and validation of the service user experience to support meaningful recovery.

"What Can I Do to Not Have This Life"? A Qualitative Study of Paternal Postnatal Depression Experiences among Fathers in the United Kingdom.

Understandings of paternal postnatal depression (PND) in fathers from the United Kingdom (UK) have received limited attention, particularly in view of changing dynamics of contemporary parenthood. To rectify this, eight UK fathers with PND took part in one-to-one interviews, with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis used to understand their lived experiences. Our findings demonstrate that UK fathers with PND experienced extremely distressing emotions, including anger and misery, after their babies are born. Their working practices were highly relevant to their fatherhood, with working considered a key responsibility and a source of stress, but also a "legitimate" escape from the home. Fathers' relationships with their partners were experienced as less intimate and conflicted. Fathers often hid their feelings to protect their partners, but also reported their partners as being aware of their challenging and difficult emotions. Healthcare providers should be professionally curious about fathers' mental health and consider the assistance of mothers in identifying cases of paternal PND.

Getting help as a depressed dad: A lived experience narrative of paternal postnatal depression, with considerations for healthcare practice.

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT?: A significant proportion of fathers report experiencing depression after their baby is born Fathers are not offered regular support for their psychological well-being in the transition to parenthood despite an acknowledged need for such support WHAT DOES THE PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Lived experience provides new insight into how one father experienced postnatal depression, including the role of his partner in help-seeking It explains the delayed presentation in help-seeking as resulting from healthcare practitioner language and attitudes, and gendered expectations around mental health and help-seeking in the context of fatherhood WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING?: Mental health nurses should be aware that postnatal depression can affect fathers as well as mothers, and that it is necessary to support fathers in safe spaces and with appropriate language Planning care for depression in men should consider the recent birth of a child in order to provide effective care Clearer guidance is needed for supporting new fathers with postnatal depression ABSTRACT: Introduction Fathers are not universally supported with their perinatal mental health, but evidence shows that they suffer at a similar level to mothers. Aim This paper examines the journey of one father through his PND experience, his help seeking, and encounters in healthcare, in order to highlight the needs of a depressed father. Method The method is a father's lived experience narrative which has been written alongside a health visitor who highlights the relevance of the condition to healthcare practice. Results & Discussion The needs of fathers are unmet. They require support which considers their gender role expectations. Partners are key to their help seeking. Implications for practice The language and sensitivity used by nurses is key to encouraging fathers to share their depression and reduce stigma around the condition.

Fathers' experience of depression during the perinatal period: a qualitative systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to understand fathers' experiences of depression in the perinatal period, including how they recognize their depression, the emotions they experience, the impact of depression on their relationships, and their help-seeking behaviors and support. INTRODUCTION: Whilst the prevalence of perinatal depression in men is now estimated to be just below that in women, no current care pathways exclusively for affected men exist in the United Kingdom. However, evidence demonstrates that paternal depression has severe consequences, affecting men's relationships with their partners and infants, their parenting behaviors, and the well-being of their children. This demonstrates a need to focus on the paternal experience of depression during this stage of life. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review included qualitative studies that included biological fathers over the age of 18 years. The phenomenon of interest was depression or mental distress in fathers within the context of the perinatal period. All qualitative designs were included in the study with a focus on lived experiences of fathers. METHODS: Searches for existing systematic reviews were carried out in March 2021 and no similar protocols or completed reviews were identified. Seven databases were searched in August 2021: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest Sociology, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis Global, and OpenGrey. Search limits included English language and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Two reviewers assessed methodological quality. A standardized data extraction tool was used to extract and synthesize data. Confidence in the findings was subsequently assessed. RESULTS: Nine studies were included after full-text review that were considered relevant to the research questions and that focused on fathers' experiences (n = 138), although only two focused specifically on depression. The overall quality of the studies was moderate. Overall, 109 findings were collated into 22 categories producing six synthesized findings. These were mental health literacy around paternal perinatal depression is poor among men; relationships are experienced as both comforting and distressing in the perinatal period; fathers in the perinatal period do experience depression, but this is avoided, normalized, or hidden; fathers feel judged about mental health difficulties and so are reluctant to disclose them; help-seeking in fathers is prevented by non-targeted support for fathers; and all men have the potential to struggle because fatherhood is challenging. CONCLUSIONS: The review found that fathers may experience depression and negative emotions around the time their child is born, including anger, irritability, and resentment of the child. Men found their relationship changes difficult, feeling that fatherhood did not seem real until the baby was born. There was a significant lack of father-focused support for men, who were aware of stigma and social expectations of them. Men were not eager to seek help for their feelings, in part due to prioritizing the needs of the mother (and child) as more important. There is a need for greater attention on paternal perinatal depression through research and practice. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42021245894.

Starting out - Time spent with a community nurse a matter helped clarify my career goals.

Before spending time with a specialist rehabilitation community nurse recently, I was looking forward to the opportunity for two reasons.